PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Adami

Publications and source records attributed to L Adami.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

[Isolated blunt hepatic traumas: role of emergency CT in therapeutic choice].

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the study was to establish the role of score-based CT classification of hepatic lesions, peritoneal and retroperitoneal bleeding in the blunt hepatic trauma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: CT examinations of 47 haemodynamically stable patients, with isolated traumatic hepatic lesions were reviewed. CT scans were obtained with a spiral CT (thickness mm 10, pitch of 1) before and after 60 seconds after from intravenous administration of 140 cc of contrast medium at a rate of 2 cc/sec). Eleven out of 47 patients underwent surgery immediately after the CT examination, 2/47 patients in 48 hours; 34/47 patients were treated conservatively with CT follow-up on days 3 and 7, and before dimission discharge. The hepatic lesions, and degree of peritoneal and retroperitoneal haemorrhage were classified using the following scale: 1-5 for the hepatic lesions, in according to the Mirvis classification; 0-3 for peritoneal haemorrhage (0=no haemorrhage, 1=minor mild haemorrhage, 2=moderate haemorrhage, 3=major massive haemorrhage); 0-2 for retroperitoneal haemorrhage (0=no haemorrhage, 1=haemorrhage confined to the anterior pararenal space, 2=haemorrhage in 2 or more retroperitoneal spaces). The score was correlated to the treatment decisions (follow-up or surgery). RESULTS: Based on the hepatic lesion scores, we classified: 4 patients as grade 1 of grade 1, 9 as grade 2, 22 as grade 3, 11 as grade 4, 1 as grade 5; based on peritoneal haemorrhage, 14 patients as grade 0, 9 as grade 1, 8 as grade 2, and 10 as grade 3; based on retroperitoneal haemorrhage, 36 patients as grade 0 of grade 0, 3 as grade 1, and 8 as grade 2. The overall scores of the 13 patients that who underwent surgery were: 6 in 6 patients, 7 in 4 patients, 8, 9, and 10 in 1 patient. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: CT is the modality of reference for evaluating traumatic hepatic lesions. The selection of patients for surgery requires an accurate classification and grading of the lesions. The classification of hepatic lesions alone, however, is not sufficient, as it does not take into account peritoneal and retroperitoneal haemorrhage, that which often occurs, and are correlated with the need for exploratory laparotomy. Integrated score-based evaluation of the hepatic lesions, peritoneal and retroperitoneal haemorrhage shows a good correlation with treatment decisions and clinical outcome.

Contrast Media↗

Hemoretroperitoneum associated with liver bare area injuries: CT evaluation.

In hepatic injury restricted to the postero-superior region of segment VII (bare area), hemoperitoneum may be absent and this condition may be associated with hemoretroperitoneum. The aim of this paper is to present the association between bare area injuries and hemoretroperitoneum evaluated by CT. The CT examinations of 32 patients with blunt liver trauma were reviewed and the number and location of lesions were evaluated. Right lobe involvement was identified, focusing on the bare area lesions. The presence of hemoperitoneum and hemoretroperitoneum were determined. In the 32 patients 44 parenchymal lesions were detected. Segment VII was involved in 16 cases: 5 patients presented an intraparenchymal lesion, 11 patients a lesion emerging to the liver surface. In 8 cases the lesion was localized in the bare area. In the 16 patients presenting a segment-VII lesion, hemoperitoneum was detected in 3 cases, hemoretroperitoneum in 4 cases, and both conditions in 4 cases. A traumatic hepatic lesion may be associated with hemoretroperitoneum rather than hemoperitoneum. This justifies the absence of clinical signals of peritoneal irritation; the negativity of both US scan and peritoneal lavage may cause an inappropriate therapeutic management. Computed tomography yields both the detection of the parenchymal damage and the correct localization of the intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal hemorrhage.

Hemoperitoneum↗

[US and CT findings in complicated Meckel diverticulum].

AIM: Meckel s diverticulum is the most common congenital abnormality of the small bowel. It may be silent or symptomatic when complicated by hemorrage, intestinal occlusion, diverticulitis and umbilical fistulas. Radiologic diagnosis is often difficult because abdominal plain radiography and ultrasound are not sufficiently specific; CT is most accurate in differential diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS. 11 patients (age 5-69 ys) were studied. Clinical symptoms included acute abdomen (4 pts), intestinal occlusion (3 pts), abdominal pain (4 pts), fever (5 pts). Radiological studies were abdominal plain radiography (8 pts), ultrasound (5 pts), CT (9 pts). RESULTS: Abdominal plain radiography depicted signs of intestinal occlusion (4 pts) and perforation (1 pts); in 4 pts the signs were non diagnostic. Ultrasound showed an abscess in the pelvis (2 pts), dilatation and wall-thickening of an intestinal loop (2 pts), intestinal invagination (1 pts); it was not diagnostic in 3 pts. CT was not diagnostic in 3 pts; in 2 pts it showed an abscessual fluid collection in the pelvis, adherent to intestinal loops, with flogosis of the perivisceral fat; in 1 pt it revealed perforation; in 4 cases it was specific showing inversion of the diverticulum in an intestinal loop (2 pts) or a tubular fluid-filled structure, with thickened walls and contrast enhancement, which was interpreted as a inflammatory diverticulum (2 pts). DISCUSSION: Our series confirms the difficulty of diagnosing Meckel s diverticulum in an acute setting. Abdominal plain radiography only allowed to diagnose intestinal occlusion or perforation. Ultrasound revealed abscessual collections in the pelvis, fluid distention of the diverticulum, segmental thickening of the intestinal walls and invagination. CT proved to be more specific showing signs suggestive of correct diagnosis in 6 pts. In particular, evidence of an intraluminal prolonged mass with central area of fat density and peripherral collar was considered suggestive of intraluminal invagination of Meckel s diverticulum. Another diagnostic sign is the evidence of a tubular fluid-filled structure, with thickened, enhanced walls. In 2 cases CT showed an abscessual collection with gas-fluid level (complication of perforation) confirming the need for surgery. CONCLUSION: Meckel s diverticulum is a not uncommon condition that in some cases is complicated, resulting in acute abdomen. Preoperative radiological diagnosis can be suspected in the presence of suggestive signs, more often depicted by CT.

Adolescent↗

October 1942: a strange epidemic paralysis in Saval, Verona, Italy. Revision and diagnosis 50 years later of tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate poisoning.

In the autumn of 1942 a strange epidemic paralysis started in Saval, at that time a country area but now part of the city of Verona. The epidemic went on for several months and affected 41 people, all working as owners or labourers on the same farm. Some of the farm animals (chickens, horses, cattle, pigs) also became ill. About 20 patients were admitted to the nearby city hospital. The outbreak was diagnosed as polyneuritis with a probable viral cause. Fifty years later, seven people with sequelae of the disease were examined. The most severe cases present a spastic paraplegia and lower leg muscle atrophy without sensory impairment, resembling an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis "frozen" for 50 years. The clinical syndrome can now be attributed confidently to organophosphate induced delayed polyneuropathy. All the epidemiological data obtained from the survivors were evaluated and a careful review of the literature was made. Contamination of the ground from a rubbish dump near the farmyard would explain the epidemiology of the Saval outbreak.

Adolescent↗

Estrogen and progesterone receptors in breast cancer: correlation with clinical and pathological features and with prognosis.

Estrogen and progesterone receptor status was reviewed in 405 patients from prior adjuvant breast cancer trials at the University of Verona. Only 233 patients were actually examined with respect to hormone status and outcome. No relationship between hormone receptor status and most of the commonly followed prognostic signs, i.e. tumor size, nodal status, and age, was found. Overall survival was correlated with hormone receptor positivity for patients with more than 4 positive axillary nodes. Disease-free survival was correlated only with PgR positivity, in premenopausal and in T1 groups.

Breast Neoplasms↗